Celtic Christianity

The contemporary revival of interest in the Celtic world is a feature of our age. Heightened interest has led to the appropriation of the Celtic tradition for different purposes by different interest groups. The result at a popular level has been that the historical reality of Celtic Christianity is increasingly elusive as claims made about it become exaggerated. The purpose of this course is to situate the Celtic Christian experience of the spiritual in the context of its development in Ireland between the 5th and the 12th centuries. Topics addressed include the transition from pagan to Christian, monasticism, creativity and art, prayer, scripture, and evangelism. Attention is also given to the pattern of revivals over the centuries and connections between postmodernism and the Celtic tradition.